Postoperative Toxic Shock Syndrome

Abstract

• Previously, most cases of the toxic shock syndrome (TSS) have been described in a menses-related clinical setting. Recently, however, cases have been described in nonmensesrelated clinical settings, in particular, in association with postoperative wound infections. Three cases of TSS occurred as a complication of surgical procedures. Toxic shock syndrome complicated the postoperative course of one patient undergoing routine inguinal herniorrhaphy, to our knowledge the first reported case of this syndrome directly resulting in the patient's death in the postoperative setting. In another case, TSS, with recurrence, resulted from a Staphylococcus aureus wound infection after unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, to our knowledge the first reported case of recurrence in a nonmenses-related setting. (Arch Surg 1983;118:791-794)